Sec. 2. For the purposes of this chapter, and unless the context clearly denotes otherwise, the following definitions apply throughout this chapter:

(1) "Law enforcement officer" means an appointed officer or employee hired by and on the payroll of the state, any of the state's political subdivisions, or a public or private postsecondary educational institution whose board of trustees has established a police department under IC 21-17-5-2 or IC 21-39-4-2 who is granted lawful authority to enforce all or some of the penal laws of the state of Indiana and who possesses, with respect to those laws, the power to effect arrests for offenses committed in the officer's or employee's presence. However, the following are expressly excluded from the term "law enforcement officer" for the purposes of this chapter:

(A) A constable.

(B) A special officer whose powers and duties are described in IC 36-8-3-7 or a special deputy whose powers and duties are described in IC 36-8-10-10.6.

(C) A county police reserve officer who receives compensation for lake patrol duties under IC 36-8-3-20(f)(3).

(D) A conservation reserve officer who receives compensation for lake patrol duties under IC 14-9-8-27.

(E) An employee of the gaming commission whose powers and duties are described in IC 4-32.3-9.

(F) A correctional police officer described in IC 11-8-9.

(2) "Board" means the law enforcement training board created by this chapter.

(3) "Executive training program" means the police chief executive training program developed by the board under section 9 of this chapter.

(4) "Law enforcement training council" means one (1) of the confederations of law enforcement agencies recognized by the board and organized for the sole purpose of sharing training, instructors, and related resources.

(5) "Training regarding the lawful use of force" includes classroom and skills training in the proper application of hand to hand defensive tactics, use of firearms, and other methods of:

(A) overcoming unlawful resistance; or

(B) countering other action that threatens the safety of the public or a law enforcement officer.

(6) "Hiring or appointing authority" means:

(A) the chief executive officer, board, or other entity of a police department or agency with authority to appoint and hire law enforcement officers; or

(B) the governor, mayor, board, or other entity with the authority to appoint a chief executive officer of a police department or agency.

(7) "Crisis intervention team" refers to a local coalition with a goal of improving the manner in which law enforcement and the community respond to crisis situations in which an individual is experiencing a mental health or addictive disorder crisis.

Formerly: Acts 1967, c.209, s.2. As amended by P.L.25-1986, SEC.2; P.L.57-1995, SEC.1; P.L.2-1997, SEC.15; P.L.52-2005, SEC.2; P.L.91-2006, SEC.7; P.L.2-2007, SEC.71; P.L.77-2009, SEC.1; P.L.197-2011, SEC.26; P.L.115-2015, SEC.1; P.L.180-2017, SEC.1; P.L.58-2019, SEC.21.